Georges St-Pierre could return at UFC 154

George St. Pierre could return at UFC 154

By Dave Deibert

If all continues according to plan, Ultimate Fighting Championship superstar Georges St-Pierre will be headlining the company’s return to Montreal in November.

UFC’s longtime welterweight champion confirmed Thursday that he is targeting a comeback date to the octagon of Nov. 17 at the Bell Centre, in what would be the main event of UFC 154 against interim welterweight titleholder Carlos Condit.

St-Pierre has been sidelined since October, first with a sprained left medial collateral ligament and then after undergoing surgery for a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

“Rehab goes well,” he said in an interview. “I’m expected to come back training full-out in July and my comeback fight, I don’t know when it’s going to be, but I hope it will be in Montreal at UFC 154. But I don’t have the last word on that. It’s (UFC president) Dana (White) and (UFC chief executive officer) Lorenzo (Fertitta).”

White on Wednesday said in a conference call that Condit recently reached out to ask exactly how long St-Pierre would remain on the sidelines. When White told Condit the company expected St-Pierre back in November, the choice was made, according to White.

If St-Pierre was going to be out even longer, Condit — who won the interim title over Diaz in February — could have faced later this year the winner of an upcoming bout between Jake Ellenberger and Martin Kampmann. But the prospect of a unification bout versus the biggest star in the sport was too good to pass up.

“So he’s going to wait,” said White of Condit.

Assuming there are no setbacks in St-Pierre’s recovery and the November bout comes to fruition, it will have been 19 months since St-Pierre last fought, at UFC 129 in Toronto. White expressed no doubt that fans will be eager for the return of one of the sport’s legends.

“I think people are going to be pumped to see him back. I think a lot of people are going to tune in to watch him fight again,” said White.

“I think the Condit fight is interesting. The only question about GSP is going to be ring rust after being out for so long. But the guy trains so damn hard, I don’t see it happening.”

Attempts to reach Condit and his management for comment were unsuccessful.

St-Pierre has spent much of his rehabilitation in Los Angeles but he was in Montreal Thursday to announce an endorsement deal with online gaming company 888. As part of the deal, St-Pierre will compete in the 2012 World Series of Poker main event, along with several other live and online games. Proceeds from those fundraisers will go toward anti-bullying charities.

“I’m happy (to be involved in the fundraisers) because I’ve been bullied when I was young,” he said.

“But back then it was different. Now with the Internet, (smartphones), all that stuff, it’s a different story. I’m not an expert in bullying but I’m happy because I was victim of it when I was young so it’s important for me to be associated with this.”

He’ll soon be back in California to continue his rehab, but he’s thrilled that his months-long effort to return to health appears to be leading him back home in front of friends and family, where St-Pierre has headlined two previous record-setting events. UFC 83 at the Bell Centre in 2008 drew 21,390 fans paying a live gate of $5.1 million, while UFC 124 in 2010 drew 23,152 paying a gate of $4.6 million. St-Pierre’s other Canadian main event, at UFC 129, sold out Toronto’s Rogers Centre with 55,724 paying $12.075 million at the gate.

UFC had originally planned a Montreal card for last month but rescheduled after injuries and other bookings made a suitable main event impossible to pull off. UFC director of Canadian operation Tom Wright, in an interview Thursday, said he wouldn’t describe a potential St-Pierre main event as a ‘makeup’ for Montreal fans, instead saying, “The stars aligned.”

St-Pierre knows his body better than anyone, Wright said. If he felt he could have been ready two months earlier, St-Pierre may have headlined UFC 152 in Toronto on Sept 22. If he needed more time, his return may have been in Las Vegas or another international city. As it is, Wright would gladly promote a St-Pierre main event in Montreal.

“When you have a chance to have one of the top two or three athletes in your sport, in the entire world, compete for a championship on your home soil, you can’t help but be excited for that prospect,” said Wright.

St-Pierre stressed that the match is still not official, but couldn’t hide his excitement over the idea of another bout in his hometown.

“Hopefully it will be Montreal,” he said. “Montreal is always very special for me.”

Until the contract is signed, then, he continues to focus on building the muscle around his knee and allowing the ligament to fuse completely and properly. St-Pierre’s rehab remains ahead of schedule but he is being careful to not reinjure himself. After overcompensating for the left leg injury resulted in his torn ACL last year, he wants no setbacks this time around.

“I’m in good shape but to be in fighting shape, it will need more specific training. I will be back training in July. From July, I will be back on my way to fighting shape,” he said.

“Three months away. Three months I will be back 100 per cent, if the doctor gives me clearance. I feel great now. I’m ahead of schedule. I’m good to go.”